AAC Professional Development Toolkit | Communication Partner Training & Case Studies

Build a shared, practical approach to augmentative and alternative communication across classrooms, homes, workplaces, community settings, and professional teams.

AAC Access in Action is a case-based professional learning course for special education teachers, speech-language professionals, occupational and physical therapy professionals, assistive technology staff, paraprofessionals, graduate students, families, and other communication partners. The course translates AAC foundations into observable partner practices, participation planning, accessible instruction, and team implementation.

The resource includes 24 structured workshops across eight modules. Participants read concise learning briefs, analyze fictional cases, complete repeatable planning tools, and apply one small change in a real routine. The materials emphasize communication access, autonomy, multimodal communication, aided language modeling without response demands, wait time, repair, vocabulary co-design, literacy, inclusion, collaboration, and implementation.

WHAT IS INCLUDED

• Complete facilitator guide with 24 workshop plans
• Separate participant workbook
• Editable Word versions of both files
• 8 professional learning modules
• 24 learning briefs
• 24 fictional case labs
• 24 reproducible workshop tools
• 48 print-and-cut AAC team scenario cards
• 12 portable communication-partner coaching cards
• Baseline and post-course self-assessments
• 8 recurring fictional case profiles across ages and settings
• Facilitator discussion directions for every workshop
• Course map, delivery options, scope guidance, and professional references
• Full-color cover and coordinated TPT preview images
• Ready-to-copy listing text and image-generation prompts

MODULES

1. AAC Foundations and Communication Rights
2. Participation and Opportunity Mapping
3. Communication Partner Practice
4. Vocabulary and Message Design
5. Representation, Organization, and Access
6. Language Instruction and Literacy Access
7. Inclusion Across Settings
8. Collaborative Implementation and Advocacy

HOW TO USE

Deliver one module during a 2-3 hour professional learning session, teach one 45-60 minute workshop each week, or use selected workshops during AAC team meetings, coaching cycles, university courses, staff onboarding, and family-professional collaboration.